"
Let's Roll ! " were the last words heard from Todd Beamer, a
passenger on Flight 93 over Pennsylvania on September 11,
2001. In late 2001, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P.
Jumper directed the application of special nose art on select
aircraft “to honor America’s spirit, dedication and resolve
following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon.” The U.S.
Air Force adopted Mr. Beamer’s slogan as a theme for a nose
art design for their aircraft.

In a short ceremony on March 18, 2002 62d Airlift Wing
Commander Colonel Paul Selva presented the “Let’s Roll” nose
art for the wing on
C-17A 00-0174 (above).

2000 - 2005

Photo by Tech.
Sgt. Lance Cheung /usaf

Two fully armed 123rd Fighter Squadron / 142nd Fighter Wing
F-15A Eagles fly a combat air patrol mission over the Pacific
Northwest.
For months after the terrorist attacks, the 142nd FW
maintained aircraft on alert at McChord AFB and their base in
Portland, Oregon.

Because of the 62d AW's conversion to the C-17, the 2000
Airlift Rodeo was held at Pope AFB, NC. Both the 62d and the
446th AW sent C-141and C-17 teams to compete in the events.
After the smoke cleared the 446th was once again named the
best C-141 wing.

During a January 21, 2001 change of command ceremony
inside Oregon Air National Guard's main Hangar, Col. Garry C.
Dean assumed command of the 142nd Fighter Wing becoming the
units first man of color to do so. Since joining the Wing at
the rank of Captain in 1990, the 1978 Air Force Academy
Graduate, who is African American, has been a racial
trailblazer, becoming the units first man of color to become a
fighter pilot, the first to be promoted to Colonel, and the
first to hold numerous commands within the wing including
Command of the 123rd Fighter Squadron "Redhawks" and later
142d Fighter Wing Vice Commander at the Portland based wing.

On September 11, 2001 four commercial airliners were used by
to launch history's worst attack against the US by any
foe. As the airliners stuck New York's World Trade Center and
the Pentagon, controllers at McChord's Western Air Defense
Sector gave orders for the fighters at the Sectors four alert
sites to maintain a runway alert status, parked, armed and
engines running at the end of each sites runway . Shortly
thereafter, all jets on runway alert were ordered back
to their alert hangars to maintain battle station status
(pilots on alert duty inside their cockpits) this status was
maintained until almost noon.

Later that afternoon, WADS controllers identified a blip
headed for the US West Coast, a Boeing 747. By this time, all
aircraft over the United States had been ordered to the ground
with all transoceanic aircraft inbound to the United States
restricted from entering US airspace. WADS gave the "scramble"
order two F-16C's of the 144th Fighter Wing/194th Fighter
Squadron (California ANG) to identify the inbound 747. The
F-16 were cleared for a afterburner takeoff and dash to
intercept the 747. The California Guardsmen with help from
WADS Ground Controllers intercepted the 747 and escorted the
jumbo jet to San Francisco International
Airport. The airliner was low on fuel and the pilot felt that
he couldn't reach an Airport in Mexico or Canada. Earlier
that day, another WADS unit on duty in the East coast to found
themselves the middle of this days tragic events.

Aviation Artist Rick Herter's painting "First Pass" depicts
Major. Dean Eckman
lead pilot in a three plane element from Detachment 1, 119th
Fighter Wing ND ANG, flying over the Pentagon shortly
after Hijackers crashed
American Airlines Flight 77 into the southwest side of the
building. This "pass" in F-16A S/N 82-0926
was histories first combat sortie in the defense of the
Pentagon and the US Capitol.

Shortly after the two commercial jetliners were flown into the
Twin Towers in New York City, F-16 ADF's (Air Defense Fighter)
from the North Dakota Air Guard's Detachment 1, 119th Fighter
Wing were scrambled to New York from their location at Langley
Air Force Base, Virginia. The unit has maintained a detachment
of two F-16's on alert at the base
since late 2000
and is under the command of
the Northeast
Air Defense Sector, Rome NY.

On their way to the site of Trade Center attack , the three
fighters flown by Maj. Dean Eckman, Maj. Brad
Derrig; and Capt. Craig Borgstrom were
diverted back to Washington, D.C. area after a third hijacked
airliner was flown into the Pentagon. As the F-16's neared the
city the pilots were directed to fly a Combat Air Patrol (CAP)
around the D.C. area and were also given the chilling orders
to shoot down any threatening civilian airliner, this would be
the beginning of a CAP around the area that would last for
months.

Radar Controllers and fighters assigned to the Western Air
Defense Sector and other Active, Guard, and Reserve units flew
CAP's in the sky's of America, 24 hours a day in the first
days following September 11. In a operation codenamed "Noble
Eagle" American and Canadian fighters flew more than 20,000
air defense missions in the operation compared with only 150
in 2000. More than 13,000 people, 100 fighters, and a total of
150 tankers and AWACS surveillance planes joined the effort.
Fighters on strip alert scrambled against potential targets
320-plus times.

In a response to the terrorist attacks against America on
September 11, 2001, President George Bush initiates
war against terrorism named Operation Infinite Justice, later
renamed Operation Enduring Freedom. McChord units supported
these efforts by airlifting troops and supplies destined for
Afghanistan. McChord C-17 also helped in a humanitarian
airdrops that hundreds of thousands of the rations for
starving Afghans.

The aircrew and well-wishers of
McChord's last C-141
StarLifter mission gather around before the plane's departure
to Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ for storage.

On
March 11, 2002 a team of 13 Air Force Reservists and one
active-duty member flew the last offshore C-141 mission for
the 446 AW. On March 19 C-141B 66-7955 flown by members of the
Active duty 62 AW started out on what would be the last
mission for StarLifters at McChord, both missions flying cargo
to stations across the globe.

On April 9, 2002, the McChord community said their goodbyes to
a loyal friend. C-141B
65-000267 wearing the signatures of current and past crews
who flew and maintained the Starlifter at McChord, took off on
her final fight into retirement. What was once home to a fleet
of 48 C-141's, McChord will now perform its current Airlift
mission with the very capable C-17A Globemaster III.

On June 20, 2002 McChord received it's 34th C-17A, S/N 00-
0187 from Boeing's Long Beach Factory. This would be the last
factory delivered Globemaster for the Wing until May 2003.

After more than a decade of violating UN Security Council
Resolutions imposed against the country, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein
would be presented with an ultimatum from US President George
Bush in September of 2002.
In a speech addressing the UN General Council,
President Bush challenging the organization to swiftly enforce
its own resolutions against Iraq stated “The conduct of the
Iraqi regime is a threat to the authority of the United
Nations, and a threat to peace. Iraq has answered a decade of
U.N. demands with a decade of defiance. “We cannot stand by
and do nothing while dangers gather. We must stand up for our
security, and for the permanent rights and hopes of mankind.
By heritage and by choice, the United States of America will
make that stand.”

Months later the UN Security Council would unanimously approve
Resolution 1441 imposing tough new arms inspections on Iraq
with in days inspectors would enter the country, unfortunately
the Iraqi Government were not fully cooperative. In late
December, President Bush would approve the deployment of U.S.
Forces to the Persian Gulf; McChord personnel and their C-17’s
would again play an important role in the Gulf region.

On August 30, 2002 at 1100 hrs the first of 13 C-17's 62d AW
took off at 30 second intervals from the McChord runway to
take part in what was at that time the largest C-17 formation.
The mission, drawing personnel from 62d AW & 446th AW included
635 paratroopers from the Army's 1st Special Forces Group, the
2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment based at nearby Ft. Lewis,
and McChord's 22nd Special Tactics Squadron.

SSGT.SCHULTZ/USAF

Loaded paratroopers five 62d AW C-17 prepare for take off
before participating in the largest C-17 formation over
McChord. The mission ended with the delivery of more than 600
paratroopers to a landing zone at near by Ft. Lewis.

On December 10, 2002 a McChord C-17 was rocked after an
explosion the aircrafts number 2 engine shortly after takeoff
from Baghdad International Airport. This was not an accident,
the Pratt and Whitney engine was hit what was believed to be
an infrared guided shoulder-launched Surface-To-Air missile.

The crew from the 62d AW safely retuned the plane to Baghdad
with only one minor injury to the 16 crewmembers and
passengers. This incident was the first combat related damage
to any C-17.

"The impact just shuddered the plane," said Capt. Paul
Sonstein, the mission's aircraft commander. The crew
immediately started going through emergency checklists, and
planning their return to the airport. With Captain Sonstein
flying the plane, co-pilot 1st Lt. Andrew Oiland ran the
checklist and worked the radio. Behind him sat another C-17
pilot, Capt. Anne Lueck, who watched over the cockpit to
ensure nothing was missed.

Tech. Sgt. Jim Alexander, a
Reserve loadmaster at McChord, had the best view of the engine
from his jump seat behind Capt. Sonstein. "We had a very large
flame coming out of the top of the engine, it looked like a
flamethrower sticking out of the top." With Sergeant Alexander
scanning the engine and monitoring the fire, the C-17s other
on-board loadmaster and fellow 446th Reservist, Staff Sgt.
Eric Olson, was downstairs taking care of the passengers and
coordinated everyone's escape once they landed.

Perfect partnership between personnel from “Team McChord’s”
active duty and reserve C-17 Wings, the 62d and 446th Airlift
Wings saved the lives of Sixteen persons, (including the five
crew members) and the $200 million dollar airlifter.

Elaine
Thompson/Associated Press

Vice President Dick Cheney pins the bronze star on Air Force
Maj. Brian S. Robinson during a ceremonies at McChord in which
he and other Airmen and Soldiers received metals for their
heroic deeds during major Combat Operations in Iraq.

In January of 2003 additional personnel and aircraft from both
the 62d and 446th Airlift Wings would deploy to locations all
around the world in support airlift operations. By the end of
January all McChord Aircraft supporting this effort would fly
their missions from Charleston AFB, SC, the only East coast
C-17 Base. Similar C-17 stage operations had been operating into Afghanistan from a
base in Germany. After repeated noncompliance to UN demands
Operation Iraqi Freedom begins. “On my orders, coalition
forces have begun striking selected targets of military
importance to undermine Saddam Hussein’s ability to wage war,”
Bush says in an address to the nation.During the time of war McChord personnel would be in the thick of the fight

.

On Under the cover of darkness at a forward operation
location at Aviano, Italy on March 26, 2003, active duty and
reserve crews from McChord and Charleston AFB, S.C. and 15
C-17’s led by then 62d AW Commander Col. Bob Allardice would
fly into combat in to the hostile sky’s of Northern Iraq. The
nine-hour mission, covering distance roughly the equivalent of
Seattle to St. Louis, delivered 1,000 members of the Army's
173rd Airborne Brigades "Sky Soldiers" into to an area north
of Baghdad. This mission, the largest
combat airdrop since the invasion of Panama in December 1989
in Operation Just Cause, was
the first combat insertion of paratroopers using C-17's
.

photo by Tech. Sgt. Stephen
Faulisi
USAF

Troops from the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade prepare to board
the 62d Airlift Wing's "Spirit of 9-11, Let’s Roll” the
transport was one of 15 Globemasters from the 62d and 437th AW
used in the first combat insertion for the C-17.

To avoid possible small arms fire the night of the airdrop,
C-17s used "tactical descents," dropping at a rate of about
4,000 feet per minute, before leveling off to drop the 1,000
Army paratroopers from the 173rd, who later secured the
airfield. Including the five nights that followed, the Bashur
mission totals were impressive: 17 C-17s; 62 missions; 2,175
passengers; 3,060 short tons of cargo, including M-A1 Abrams
tanks; 408 vehicles. "There's a huge amount of pride when
you're involved in an operation like this," said Col.
Allardice, "We (trained) for years with the Army to be able to
project power anywhere in the world. To finally get the
opportunity to execute that kind of mission is a big thrill."

In April 2003, McChord's green tail flash would be a
common sight to viewers watching the rescue and return of the
POW's (Prisoners of War) from the
Army’s 507th maintenance Company held after weeks
in captivity in Iraq. C-17’s (00-0181
&
00-0183) would be called upon to fly these noble
missions.

photo by smSgt. David H. Lipp / usaf

Lt. Col. Dana S.
Mullenhour of the North Dakota ANG’s 119th Fighter Wing steers
her F-16 through a shower celebrating the completion of 60,000
accident-free flying hours in the F-16 Fighting Falcon for the
119th Fighter Wing.

During a two-versus-two tactical intercept training mission on
May 14, 2003, F-16’s from the North Dakota ANG’s 119 FW
established a new flight safety record for Air National Guard
Fighting Falcons. Hours compiled during the training flight
pushed the wings accident-free hour total passed 60,000 hours
with out a loss of an aircraft or pilot. Since converting into
the F-16 in 1989, The "Happy Hooligans" have flown more than
38,729 sorties in the Air Defense Fighter version of the
Falcon, achieving 50,000 accident-free flying hours on May 17,
2001 and 40,000 hours on Nov. 3, 1998. “The Happy Hooligans
have an unparalleled safety record, when you examine the
facts,” said Maj. Gen. Michael Haugen, North Dakota Adjutant
General and a former 119th FW Commander. “We’ve now
flown beyond 60,000 hours in F-16s, we flew more than 51,000
hours in F-4 Phantom fighters, and before that, another 21,000
hours in F-101 Voodoo fighters.” The Hooligans' last aircraft
accident occurred 25 years ago when the unit was flying the
F-101B Voodoo interceptor.

USAF

A C-17
Aircraft Commander reviews navigation charts with his Co-Pilot
from the cockpit before a flight.

On September 2,
2004 McChord's 62d AW & 446th AW welcomed their last factory
"fresh" C-17 scheduled to enter the bases fleet which is
scheduled to contain 52 brand new and "2nd hand" aircraft.
The C-17 flown to McChord by Brig Gen Kip Self Deputy Director
of Operations for the Air Mobility Command and airmen of the
446th AW was the 124th C-17 delivered to the USAF.

The next day, McChord welcome back crews and aircraft
dispersed to bases across the country during a runway
rehabilitation project that lasted nearly one month. Along
with a major resurfacing, a new Assault Landing Zone lighting
system was added to the McChord runway that will allow crews
to practice Night Vision Goggle and Assault landing approaches
at McChord.

photo by Staff Sgt. Dennis J. Henry
Jr. / usaf

F-15A Eagles from the Oregon Air National Guard’s 123d
Fighter Squadron / 142d Fighter Wing prepare for take
off during William Tell 2004 at Tyndall Air Force Base, FL on
Nov. 12, 2004.
Since converting to the F-15 in 1989, the "Red Hawks"
have participated in the last competitions.

After an eight-year hiatus,
the Air Combat Command announced Tyndall AFB would be the host
for the 50th Anniversary William Tell Weapons Meet during
November 8 through 19 in 2004. Western Air Defense Sectors
123d Fighter Squadron “Redhawks” from the 142d
Fighter Wing, Oregon ANG, won the right to fight other F-15
units from other Air Force commands for the prestigious General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. Fighter Interceptor Team award,
the award given to the top team in the event. With the oldest
F-15’s the meet (and the oldest F-15 in the USAF inventory)
the “Red Hawks” proved to be a competitive foe for it’s active
counterparts during the entire competition. After taking the
lead on the last day of the competition the 123d lost it’s bid
for the championship on the last flight flown at William Tell
04 from the eventual meet winner the 19th FS, Elmendorf AFB,
AK.

On Dec 26 2004, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred off the
west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia. generated tsunamis
which swept across
Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India triggering one
of the most intensive and challenging humanitarian air
operations for the since the Berlin Airlift. Within 36 hours
of reports of the massive disaster, Air Force aircraft were
taking off from Yokota AB, Japan, carrying relief supplies to
U Tapao. Less than a day-and-a-half later, C-130 from the 36th
Airlift Squadron (once assigned to McChord from 1975-1989) and
helicopters were delivering those supplies to survivors. On
Dec. 29 McChord units joined the effort supporting the C-130’s
providing critical airlift within the tsunami area.

In the
Tsunami
relief operation named “Unified Assistance”, More than 2,000
airmen from 100 Air Force units and 14 bases, supporting or
flying some 30 Air Force aircraft that conducted more than
1,400 sorties in the region. McChord aircrews and maintainers
and their four C-17s provided support to the effort from U
Tapao
Thailand.

Despite the vast distances and the often crude or damaged
facilities they had to use, the Air Force aircraft and personnel
overcame those obstacles with unmatched speed, joined in the
theater by personnel and equipment from the Navy, Marine Corps,
Army, and Coast Guard and 14 other nations. The US airlift
effort eclipsed previous humanitarian relief missions in the
amount of materiel it moved daily, averaging 522,000 pounds of
food, water, and other critical supplies per day over the 47
days of intense operations.

2005-2010

photo by Kevin J. Tosh Jr / USAF

McChord Airmen load pallets of fuel onto a C-17 Globemaster
III to support the first polar airdrop for C-17's. About
10,000 gallons of fuel were dropped to help National Science
Foundation scientists near the North Pole.

Active-duty and Reserve Airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift
Wings participated in the first polar airdrop in the C-17
Globemaster III on April 12, 2005.
In the mission named Operation Deep Freeze, crews
flew a 12 hour non-stop flight from McChord to airdrop almost
10,000 gallons of fuel to National Science Foundation
scientists on the North Pole.

The mission required two C-17s to descend over the
frozen waterway to an altitude of about 1,000 feet, after the
aircrafts large cargo doors opened, gravity would pull the
bundles out of the plane, a parachute on each fuel pallet
would open to slow the pallet down for a soft landing on small
island used for the drop zone. The last polar airdrop was
conducted in 2001 by the C-141B StarLifter.

In the May 2005, the DoD's Base Realignment and Closure
commissions report contained recommendations for sweeping
changes in the U.S. Military structure, McChord and its
associated units were not left out with merger between McChord
and nearby Fort Lewis heading the list of Base Realignment and
Closure Commission (BRAC) recommendations. Another unexpected
announcement from the BRAC report was the proposed transfer of
Oregon ANG's 142nd Fighter Wing's F-15's, a unit assigned to
McChord's Western Air Defense Sector.

Throughout 2005 many major construction projects around the base came to
an end, and many older buildings were refurbished or torn
down. A complete renovation to McChord's historic Building 100
also know as the "Castle" concluded with the Wing
Command and other organization returning to the one of the
first structures build at McChord Field. Another landmark at
McChord, the Main Gate, was reopened after nearly one year of
construction and detours. The new main gate, featuring many
security upgrades was the first of 3 new or refurbished entry
points to open on the 9th of June.

After a three year hiatus caused by worldwide operations
stemming from the September 11 attacks, AMC resumed the
commands Worldwide Air Mobility Rodeo on June 19, 2005 in June
of 2005. Teams from around he world came to McChord to compete
in the week long event flying various cargo aircraft. The
"home team" from the 446th AW proved they are the best of the
best by being named the Best C-17 Wing during the Rodeo.

photo by Kevin J. Tosh Jr / USAF

446th Airlift Wing Rodeo team members celebrate their winning
of the Best C-17 Wing trophy during the 2005 Air Mobility
Rodeo closing ceremony on June 24.

As they have
done in the past, units from McChord participated in one of
the largest humanitarian airlift missions in history, effected
by the largest natural disaster in US history, Hurricane
Katrina. Not knowing what to In the late hours of September
1st, crews readied one of the wings C-17 (89-0060) later
flying to Charleston AFB, SC to pick up relief supplies and
seat pallets and then on to Louis Armstrong
International Airport in New Orleans to offload supplies and
take on survivors. Over the next 3 days other personnel and
aircraft from McChord combined to evacuate well over 1,000
survivors to Georgia, Arkansas, and Texas, a number of
Rescuers, and their equipment (including helicopters, trucks
and bulldozers), and 133 tons of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE's)
and water.

Not more
than a month later McChord aircraft and personnel were once
again called to action to assist survivors of yet another
unprecedented natural disaster, a major earthquake in
Pakistan. In the early days of this relief mission McChord
crews deliver more than 60 tons of food, water, medicine,
shelter and blankets.

On October
10, 2005 a 60 year airlift legacy ended with the closure of
Rhein-Main Air Base in Germany, the former hub of the
Berlin Airlift in the late 40's. To honor the importance of
this base, a McChord C-17 (98-0049)
was christened as the "Spirit of Rhein Main".

After White
House review and approval of the Base Realignment and Closure
Commission (BRAC) recommendations, the joining of McChord AFB
and Ft Lewis took a step closer to reality The November 8
approval contained 12 such mergers across the country, but ,
before recommendations became law, the Office of the Secretary
of Defense directed a study on how these mergers will work
best for all parties involved, Joint-Base Lewis McChord
was one of 3 under review. Two earlier recommendations, the
closure of the McChord Clinic and the transfer of F-15
Eagles from the Oregon Air National Guard were removed from
the final draft.

After fighting erupted between
Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas in early July 2006,
Pentagon and U.S. State
Department officials devised plans to evacuate some 25,000
people out of Lebanon using an “air bridge”.
C-17’s from McChord and other bases jumped into action
transporting more than 1,200 of those displaced American
citizens
from
bases in Europe to McGuire AFB, NJ. Evacuees,
many of them dual citizens were women and children who started
their journey aboard Navy ships from Lebanon to Cypress, where
they boarded C-17s ultimately bound for McGuire AFB.

On August 31 2006, AMC Commander and former 62d AW
commander
Gen. Duncan McNabb
was on hand to unveil McChord’s latest honor for
local
resident Col. Joe Jackson, a McChord C-17 painted in honor of the
Metal of Honor recipient. The C-17
“The
Spirit of Joe M. Jackson” (s/n 00-0184)
unveiled in a base wide ceremony
was the second Globemaster III named for a medal of honor
recipient, the other being
“The Spirit of John L. Levitow” (s/n 96-0005)flying
with the 437th AW at Charleston AFB, SC.

Photo by Forest Banks /
Raytheon Inc.

A McChord C-17 performs history's first air drop over
the South Pole

On December 20, Airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift
Wings again participated in their annual resupply mission for
members of the National Science Foundation team in a mission named
Operation Deep Freeze. This mission differed from those in the
past, this year crews used the C-17’s great ability to off load
cargo by air, a first for C-17’s.

Retirements are always very special, aircraft retirements can
be bitter sweet, and this one was no different. On December 26,
2006 North Dakota ANG, pilot and Operations Group commander Lt.
Col. Brad Derrig flew F-16A ADF 82-0929 from his Fargo base to
McChord for static display. Five years earlier, the then Major
Derrig in -929 and 2 other pilots from the "Happy Hooligans" of
the 119th Fighter Wing's detachment at Langley AFB VA scrambled
into the air after terrorists hijackers over Washington DC on Sept
11, 2001.

Weeks after Col. Derrig
taxied his F-16 into the McChord "Alert Barns" he and
other ”Hooligan" pilots would fly their last five F-16's to
Davis-Monthan for storage closing out the units 40+ year history
in fighters. The unit will convert to
the MQ-1 Predatorunmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

McChord once again played host more
than 55 U.S., including aircrews from nine foreign
countries, for Air Mobility Rodeo 2007, Air Mobility Command's
biennial readiness competition held from
July 22 through 28.

Forty Five U.S. teams, including three
from the U.S. Marine Corps and one from the Coast Guard, as well
as international competitors from Australia, Belgium, Brazil,
Egypt, Germany, Netherlands, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea,
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates attended Rodeo 07. Nineteen
other countries that sent observer teams did not compete. Although
not as successful as they have been in the past both McChord C-17
Wings did well in the competition taking home two trophies.

In March of 2008 the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for
Installations, Environment and Logistics recently gave Air
Mobility Command and McChord the go-ahead to negotiate with the
Army and its local housing privatization developer, Equity
Residential, for a new McChord family housing community. The
housing privatization plan is on schedule to start in September.
Details of the plan include building 250 new homes and renovating
another 268 homes over the next eight years, adding to the 90 new
homes in the Olympic Grove tract.

McChord Airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings took
off on April 17 for their final mission of the 2007-2008 season
with a goal of flying the first-ever night vision goggle mission
(to include a landing and takeoff) to Antarctica.

With only eight days remaining
before Antarctica becomes shrouded in 24-hour darkness during
winter, McChord C-17's brought 100 scientific researchers,
support personnel and their equipment back to civilization. The
mid-April flight is the closest to winter a Deep Freeze crew has
ever landed in Antarctica.

On May 21 A static display featuring F-16A S/N 82-0929, one of the
three F-16s scrambled against hijacked airliners on Sept. 11, 2001
was officially dedicated on the grounds of Western Air
Defense Sector. Colonel Derrig, who participated in
the dedication ceremony, piloted the historic jet on its final
flight here Dec. 26, 2006. After its arrival at McChord, the
aircraft once destined for the McChord Air Museum, was prepared
for permanent display by volunteers from several agencies and
organizations including the McChord Air Museum.

Since 1948, the 62nd Medical Group has been inactivated and
reactivated twice and redesignated seven times, in June of 2008
62nd Medical Group was
redesignated into the 62nd Medical Squadron, and the 62nd Mission
Support Squadron merged with the 62nd Services Squadron to form
the 62nd Force Support Squadron. Unit changes are a part of an
alignment with Madigan Army Medical System as a part of the 2005
Base Realignment and Closure Act

Airmen from 10th Airlift Squadron provided rapid deployment of a
four-man team and their 15,500 lbs of cargo from the 615th
Contingency Response Wing at Travis AFB CA, into New Orleans
International Airport in preparation for Hurricane Gustav. The
Airmen from were ready for a quick departure after being put on
24-hour alert in the last weeks of August
to aid people in the
southern United States should Hurricane reach land.

X

62d Airlift Wing is pictured after being
Awarded the "Best
Air Mobility Team at Rodeo 2009

In July competitors
and observers from all over the world called McChord home for a
week during Rodeo 2009. The home field advantage paid off for the
62d AW, fighting for a title of the competitions top Mobility
unit. After all the dust was settled, the
Best Air Mobility Team award was captured by the 62d AW.

During the September of 62d year of the 62d AW McChord
assignent McChord AFB hosted its last Air Force Ball as a Air
Force Base. Headlined by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton
Schwartz (former Commander of McChord's 36th TAS), Lt. Gen. Robert
Allardice, Commander of the 18th Air Force (and former 62nd
Airlift Wing commander); Medal of Honor recipient, Col. (Ret.) Joe
Jackson; World War II Women's Air Service Pilot and Presidential
Gold Medal Recipient, Mary Sturdevant; eight active and retired
general officers, and former McChord leaders.

"It is the 62nd birthday of our United States Air Force ... it is
also the 62nd birthday of the 62nd Airlift Wing at McChord," said
Colonel Kevin Kilb, 62d Airlift Wing Commander . "As we move forward
proudly into Joint Base Lewis-McChord, and move full-circle back
to McChord Field as part of the largest, power-projection platform
on the west coast, we celebrate those who have come before us.
Most
importantly, we celebrate our Airmen making history tonight."

Less than 70 days from the start of the transition to Joint Base
Lewis-McChord, a key milestone was reached November 19 with the
signing of the JBLM Operations Plan. The extensive plan details
how critical support areas will function on the Joint Base and is
the result of more than 18 months of work by more than 250 Army
and Air Force subject matter experts. The historic document was signed by
the soon-to-be Joint Base command team, Army Col. Thomas Brittain,
Joint Base commander, and Air Force Col. Kenny Weldon, deputy
Joint Base commander. Colonel Brittain currently serves as the
Fort Lewis Garrison commander and Colonel Weldon currently serves
as McChord's 62nd Mission Support Group commander.

"The Joint Base will support C-17s, Strykers, special forces, the
Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard missions here, security
of our nations' air space - and much more," said Colonel Newhouse.
"There is a tremendous amount of pride in being a part of such
elite missions."